This research proposes development of a novel, high throughput method for screening and recovering microorganisms producing antibiotics of interest. The combination of One Cell Systems' gel microdrop encapsulation technology and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), forms the basis for an automated, low unit cost screening method with broad applicability to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. By embedding microorganisms of interest in permeable agarose micro- environments, individual organisms can be analyzed and screened for activity. Isolation of microorganisms is expected to reduce interference from other substances in the sample, making it possible to rapidly detect and subsequently recover small quantities of active compounds. in the hospital setting, antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus strains, which are often fatal, are immune to all but one antibiotic, vancomycin. As well, the reemergence of multi-drug resistant M. tuberculosis isolates, primarily due to the AIDS epidemic, has emphasized the need to develop new, more effective, antibiotics. The proposed research and development program is designed to adapt One Cell Systems, Inc.'s novel, proprietary, platform technology for encapsulating and analyzing single cells to identifying and recovering unique microorganisms having utility as industrial enzymes or drugs. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Development of a gel microdrop based, microorganism identification and recovery system which employs the automated analysis and recovery of flow sorting would enjoy immediate commercial utility in drug discovery and industrial enzyme applications.